Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to a criminal sexual act during a recent court appearance in New York. The 72-year-old is facing allegations related to the sexual assault of a woman in a Manhattan hotel in 2006, as confirmed by District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg.
When asked to enter his plea on Wednesday, Weinstein replied emphatically, “Not guilty.” He appeared in court in a wheelchair, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, with a large bandage on his right hand.
“Thanks to this survivor who bravely came forward, Harvey Weinstein now stands indicted for an additional alleged violent sexual assault,” Mr. Bragg stated in a release.
In addition to this new charge, Weinstein is currently awaiting retrial after New York’s highest appeals court overturned his previous rape conviction and 23-year sentence in April. The dismissal was based on the claim that he did not receive a fair trial, as the judge permitted testimony from women who were not part of the charges against him.
Weinstein has consistently denied engaging in non-consensual sexual encounters. He remains in custody, serving a 16-year sentence for the 2013 rape of an actress in Los Angeles. In July, he was transferred to a New York prison hospital due to multiple health issues, including Covid-19 and double pneumonia. Last week, his lawyers reported that he underwent emergency heart surgery.
Prosecutors are seeking to consolidate the new charge with the pending retrial regarding the overturned rape conviction from 2020. A judge is expected to make a ruling on this motion on October 2.
